Unfamiliar Reunion
by Sayuri Ritsuke
Summary: Tenten was left alone to deal with her unfortunate problems and emotions. Can a gray-eyed boy help her, or will he just leave her to believe that things are going to be okay even if it won't? TentenXNeji AU being revised, please read!
1. 1 Illusions

Author's Note: Long time since I've updated, huh? Well, I have'nt exactly started writing the rest of the story...I decided to rewrite it actually. Most of it stayed the same... the pairings most of the plot... OOC ness is hopefully eliminated, but I have changed it, and it should be a bit longer now. Please read it. Onegai. I've only rewritten the first chapter so far, and I'll try to rewrite the others as fast as possible. Oh, and the reason I didn't delete this whole story and repost was because I'd like to keep the past reviews, if possible. And so that for the readers who have put me on favorites or alert would know about it. Please enjoy! - - - - AU

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any part of Naruto and Naruto Shippuuden, cause if I did, I probably wouldn't be writing a fanfic about it. hehe

Pairings: NejixTenten

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**Unfamiliar Reunion**

Chapter One

Illusions

It is exactly the 152nd day since the event that forever changed my life happened, any yet I am still sitting on this same stupid chair next to the window that overlooks the busy streets of Kyoto. The spring breeze blows the falling sakura (cherry blossom) petals as if they are dancing with the wind. Days like this make it seem like problems don't exist, like ill-fated happenings never took place. These are only illusions, especially for me.

The morning bell rings, but no student makes the slightest effort to return to their assigned seats since Kakashi-sensei (teacher) is always late anyways. Instead, the other students continue whatever they were doing before like there was no tomorrow, at all. Could it be that they always feel this way? Like there are no feelings of hatred, sadness, and emptiness tugging and tearing their hearts.

One of them, the helpless clown, Uzumaki Naruto, is being all goofy and seemed to be reenacting a murder scene from a movie. So are his friends around him, them being the victims, falling to their so-called deaths. Soon after, laughter erupts from the group of friends as well as giggling from the girls in the corner… _Ah!_ There's Yamanaka Ino right there, looking at Uchiha Sasuke, who in turn is smirking towards Uzumaki.

Suddenly, when Uzumaki successfully "murders" the others, my surroundings begin to swirl around._ I swear that one of these days, my time of the month is going to make me collapse._

-- KACHAK!--

"Oy, Neji! Watcha do that for?!" whines the injured class clown.

"Tsk… you asked for it! You're disrespecting everyone who's died from vicious manslaughter! I'm sure the victims' friends and families would be saddened by the fact that someone is mocking the deaths, especially by someone like you! But what would you know…?" the boy with the Geometry book at hand says, disgusted.

_Oh! This pain is getting worse by the second!_ Before Hyuuga could finish his true speech, I cause another disruption in the classroom, a loud BAM!

"_Tadaima (I'm home)! Hahaue (Mother)? Chichiue (Father)?" I call out, "Where is everyone?" _

_The silence only greets me as I enter the large Ama estate. The murderous aura and the awful stench of flesh overwhelm me as it fills my nostrils and creeps into my senses. This place I once called home is, with no doubt, unrecognizable._

"Oy! Ama-san, you alright?" Hyuuga is just inches off my face. I can clearly see his beautiful, worried eyes, and feel his cool breath on my face.

I gasp in mere realization of what I just thought. In an instant, my face flashes bright red and Hyuuga immediately backs away from me, feeling my discomfort.

Just then, Kakashi-sensei enters the room through the open window (_how does he do that?_) with Icha Icha Paradaisu in his hand. Despite the fact that he is exactly 15 minutes late to class, he comes at the right time: when things seem to get awkward.

Everyone immediately returns to their seats to greet him. Hyuuga stands up gracefully, leaving behind a quick smirk, before doing the same. I, on the other hand, just clumsily rise from my position and greet him along with the rest of the class, still beet red.

_So this is how class began. I bet this day is just going to get worse…_

"Ama, Tenten. Will you please do problem 25 on page 625 on the board?" _I told you so._ Kakashi-sensei knows that I'm bad in Math, especially Geometry. "Yes, that would require opening your book to that page."

Everyone laughs. _Great, my blush from before hasn't even faded away yet, and another comes along._ With a heavy sigh, I slouch my way to the dirty blackboard and copy the proof . . . . . _Oh, you've got to be kidding me! Look at this proof! It's probably going to take more than nine steps to complete it!_ I could feel everyone's stares drilling right into my back when I notice the problem being similar to the one from my homework yesterday…the one I left blank…_great job Kakashi, you know EVERYONE'S weaknesses._

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Lunch. I start walking to the lonely sakura tree in the courtyard when a bunch of kids from class tease me about my embarrassing episode last class. Hyuuga just smiles at me when he walks by. I can feel my heart racing. I'm sure he's just playing with my feelings. _Well, I won't allow him to do that to me – just forget about him._

"Ah, Tenten-chan! You're here early today," Hinata sits besides me and takes out her bento.

"So Hinata, Tenten tells me that you were stalking Uzumaki Naruto. Heh, he's such an ahou (idiot)!" Sakura joins us.

"N-Nani (what)? Tenten-chan, how could you?" Poor Hinata, she looks down and plays with her fingers like she usually does. "I-I'm not stalking him. I'm just…y-you know, f-following him in …s-secret," her reply is becoming softer and softer.

……

"Yes, that's called _stalking_."

……

"Yeah. Well anyway," Sakura looks over at me, "what happened to you Tenten? You used to be a pro in Math!"

"Well, that was _way_ back then! Math was easy at that time, now it's getting harder…"

"What are you talking about? It wasn't that long ago since you were getting A's. You started dropping ever since—" Sakura stops immediately after seeing my pained expression. "Gomen (sorry), I didn't mean to—"

"Don't worry about it!" I give her my best smile that I can manage, "All I need to worry about now is catching up."

"Tenten-chan, it won't be so easy to catch up about five months work of Geometry," says Hinata. "I know! My cousin could probably tutor you! Neji's in your class, right?"

"Hinata, you're a genius! Why didn't I think of that?" Sakura exclaims. She turns her back on us and starts giggling in between her, "That's great! This is the perfect chance to put my love-matching skills into play!"

I could feel nerve-pops all over my head now. I can't believe my two best friends just thought of such an evil plan! I grab both of their shoulders and glare at them, hoping to pose a possible threat. Instead, they chuckle away… Funny thing is, even I start laughing – this is the first time in months that I truly laughed without any effort. I hope this temporary happiness will last longer…

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So this is the end of chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it (I stayed up extra late to write this)!

Please review and tell me if it's any better for my old (not saying that you are yourself) readers, or tell me if you like it if you're new! Arigatou! Helpful suggestions very much welcomed!


	2. 2 Mitsuketa

Author's Note: I got Chapter 2 done!! I won't be able to post Chapter 3 until I return from vacation however...I think... Please Read and Review!! Onegai!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any part of Naruto and Naruto Shippuuden, cause if I did, I probably wouldn't be writing a fanfic about it. hehe

Pairings: NejixTenten

**Unfamiliar Reunion**

Chapter Two

Mitsuketa

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_Man! I can't believe I agreed to have Hyuuga tutor me! I don't need him, I'm sure I can catch up once I reread the book, and my notes. Now let's see…_Chapter 2.8, Vertical Angles, "Perpendicular lines intersect to form four right angles." _Piece of cake._

. . .

Chapter 5.5, Inequalities Involving Two Triangles, "The SAS Inequality –Two sides of a triangle are congruent to two sides of another triangle if the included angle of one triangle is greater than the included angle of another triangle …" and so my notes read.

"This is hopeless," in my frustration, I chuck my entirely useless notebook at the wall. Of course, I totally forgot that I'm still in the school library! I can feel the cranky, old librarian eyeing me through her spectacles. I wonder why librarians tend to be wrinkly and scary looking.

"I see that you hate Geometry and all," a voice behind me says, "but why does your notebook have to go through your abuse? It's not like it chose to contain you Geometry notes!" A smirk.

I turn around in total shock and point my finger at him. "K-Know-It-All Itachi (weasel)!

_That probably caught him off guard._ _Heck! It caught_ me_ of guard, I didn't mean to call him that…how embarrassing!_

"E-Excuse me? Know-It-All Itachi?" Hyuuga's face showed his surprise, it also showed his amusement, unfortunately enough.

"Oh, gomen (sorry)! Look Hyuuga-san, I'm in no mood to deal with your jokes right now, okay?" I say tiredly.

"Yeah, I can see that!" He nods towards the direction of my injured notebook. He continues anyway, "Oh yeah, Hinata-sama told me that you're having some pretty obvious problems with it. So—"

"Thanks Hyuuga-san, but I think I can solve this "pretty obvious problem" myself. Now if you will excuse me."

"Yeah, like you can solve problem 25 on the board!"

"Oi! If you know what's best for you, you will leave me _alone_!" I stomp back to the Ama estate. It's only 5 P.M. and I'm already pissed off…I should probably calm my nerves down later.

The Ama estate is fairly large. After the incident, I used a fraction of the clan's money to refurbish all the houses and buildings and whatnot. I also created a graveyard for all who have died in my clan. Although all the blood stains have been removed, the memory of it won't ever escape my heart and soul.

These painful memories will always be a part of me now, especially at night when my nightmares come to haunt me and I can hear the earsplitting screams of my loved-ones.

After eating dinner, instant ramen and a few crackers, I head back to my room to finish my cursed Geometry homework. Like all the other days, I end up guessing on the proofs. I used all my notes and the book for help, but I just couldn't figure it out! Maybe I just had too much Geometry to deal with for one day. I've already finished my homework for everything else.

Before I knew it, I change into my training gear and walk down the quiet, lonely path. There I stood, in front of the clan's private dojo, where my parents taught the Ama's no weapon taijutsu ("body skill" or fighting technique). My family has always believed that one should never commit shameful acts and wrongdoings – such as killing people, which is why the fighting style doesn't allow weapons of any sort, just one's mind and body. It is mostly for defense and to protect. This taijutsu never appealed to me, I've always been into weapons and ninjutsu (taijutsu practiced by shinobi). I guess I'm the odd one in the family…

I can remember just about eight months ago, my father told me that even if I don't like the clan's style, I should at least learn it so I can pass it on to the future generations. I agreed, but just when my lessons started, that was when they ended. Everyone who could ever pass the art on was killed in just one night. Everything that they believed for turned against them and I was the only one who survived.

I blame myself for what has happened. Maybe if I had learned the taijutsu earlier, I could've protected them, if not died, trying. Despite the fact that the desire for revenge is constantly trying to convince my heart to agree to it, I want to live up to my clan's beliefs. With my own style, I want to protect the ones I care for now: my friends, Sakura and Hinata, who have always helped me define what's right and wrong, and comforted me when I was depressed.

I give out a heavy sigh, enter the dojo, and take out my weapons hidden in a secret compartment on the wall. And before I knew it, I was heading toward a forest, waiting to be found.

I'm wandering in what seems like the middle of nowhere when I find the perfect tree to practice throwing my weapons at. I block out all of my thoughts and surroundings, just the target and myself is visible. I keep throwing and punching the old tree, despite the fact that my right arm is oozing out the thick, warm substance that flows through my veins.

After a while, I wince from the piercing pain from my muscles and clutch my now-soaked right arm. I notice that the forest has gotten extremely dark. I must have been out here for about three hours now.

"Yo," a voice called from behind.

In complete shock, I turn around and tried my best to lift my arms as a way to defend myself. In just a second, I fell to my knees and the person caught me before my face hit the cold ground. The person, who seems like a male, has me in a position that I can't even escape from, injured or not. The only thing I can do to inflict some damage is to bite his arm, so I did.

"Ow! Oi, quit moving!" the voice demands. "You're in no condition to fight back, so don't even bother."

The man flings me over his shoulder, my head facing his back. I do as I'm told, but not because I plan on giving up. But to regain some energy before attempting to escape. The man carries me in complete silence when I lose my consciousness.

. . .

"Hey, you awake yet?"

I try to get a hold of my kunai, but the only thing I find was the person's hand. I gasp and open my eyes to see Hyuuga looking at me weirdly. I raise my right hand to slap him, he stops me. Then I notice that my entire right arm is bandaged. And so is my upper body! I'm only wearing my bra underneath the bandages. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.

Seeing that I noticed, Hyuuga quickly says, "Don't worry, I didn't see anything…Not that there was anything to see." He realizes his mistake and covered my mouth. "Gomen, gomen (sorry). I didn't mean to say that! Please don't make a loud ruckus. No one knows you're in here." His room.

I stop squirming and he lets go of my mouth.

"How's your arm and your …um…?" he asks awkwardly and adds, "you were bleeding pretty badly."

"Huh? Oh, fine. Thanks for this," _Hey, that reminds me_. "Hey, why'd you attack me?"

"_Me_?" he asks jokingly. "I think you're the one I should ask."

I look at his bruised arm where I bit him. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Does it hurt?" I put my hand on his injury.

"I think I'll live," he says. Then he takes my hand in his. "Why were you crying?"

I just look at him, stunned. I don't have a clue of what he speaks of.

"You were crying your eyes out while you were beating the tree up. The whole time I was there."

"Wait –you were watching me? How long?"

"Uh, two hours. You didn't notice?" Hyuuga seems to be thinking. "Well you see… I couldn't sleep and decided to take a stroll in the forest. I heard some noises, and I found you."

Just then, I lay my head on his shoulder and start crying. I don't know what came over me, but I stay there. Nothing else matters right now, not the fact that my whole torso was just covered in bandages, and not the fact that it's 2 in the morning. Nothing else matters because…

"A-Ama-san?" Hyuuga Neji says worriedly.

... "You found me." I wrap my arms around his neck and smile behind my tears.

He hesitates and returns the gesture. His arms wrap securely around me. "Ah, mitsuketa (I found you)."

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How was it? Okay so, the Know-It-All Itachi. I used Itachi, which means weasel, just because I thought it was funny that Itachi meant that. Since Itachi is a character from Naruto! Anyway, hope you liked it. I did...Review please!


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